Policy Developments and Options to Address Human Mobility in the Context of Climate Risk in the Pacific Islands Region

In this policy brief, we chart the relevant policy developments in the Pacific Islands region, to evidence the multiple pathways by which mobility in the context of climate change is integrated in, or supported by, policy tools. It had been noted that, as recently as 2016, there was a dearth of dedicated policies in the region on climate mobilities. In fact, the scarcity of both regional and national policies on migration, displacement and relocation was identified then as contributing to a potential ad hoc approach to addressing and supporting movement, potentially leading to situations of maladaptation and calls for policy attention. More recently, dedicated policy has been emerging increasingly, and continues to emerge. As this is ahead of other regions, it may prove useful to nations or regions also grappling with how to approach climate-related human mobility (or immobility) as a policy concern.

This policy brief was produced under the Australian Research Council funded Linkage project Transformative Human Mobilities in a Changing Climate (LP170101136). As part of this project, the reporting on policy developments presented here will be supplemented with applied research in a number of Pacific Island locations (Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu), as well as in Australia (where possible given current restrictions on travel induced by the COVID-19 pandemic).